Clenching

However, excessive clenching can lead to severe headaches or neck and shoulder pain, or you may suffer from recurrent pain or discomfort on the side of the face around the ears or the jaw joints.

• Clicking, grinding or pain in the jaw joints; ringing or buzzing in the ears; and difficulty opening or closing the mouth.
• Teeth that are out of line, heavily worn or constantly breaking, fillings that fracture, or crowns that work loose.
• Loose teeth or receding gums, which can be worsened by a faulty ‘bite’.
• Muscle spasm: if the jaw is in the wrong position, the muscles moving the jaw must work harder and so tire, leading to muscle spasm, which causes headaches or migraine, especially first thing in the morning; pain behind the eyes; sinus pain; pains in the neck and shoulders; and, occasionally, discomfort in the back muscles.

In some cases, the teeth and gums can be affected straight away and, instead of headaches, you may suffer:

• Flattened, worn teeth
• Broken teeth, fillings and crowns
• Loose teeth
• Continual sensitivity of your teeth to temperature change
• Toothache with no apparent cause

Various muscles may be sore when testing, or broken and worn areas of the teeth can provide tell-tale evidence of clenching or grinding, a common sign of an incorrect bite.

The dentist may diagnose the problem by prescribing an Occlusal Splint, a hard plastic appliance that fits over the upper or lower teeth. This will be measured and fitted accurately so that when you bite on it, when your muscles are relaxed, all your teeth meet at exactly the same time.

The Occlusal Splint may have to be worn all the time, or at night only. If the appliance relieves the symptoms, it is possible that your bite will need permanent correction.